Tee driving means



Jan. 22, 1963 R. G. MCKEE TEE DRIVING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1959 A Tr'oR/vsrs Jan. 22, 1963 McKEE 3,074,719

TEE DRIVING MEANS Filed March 23, 1959 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOR-' anywa dw jzflw ry-4 fia 113 63 )9 By ATTORNEYS.

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" lumnmll eat F This invention relates to tee driving means, and more specifically, to a device for gripping and guiding golf tees as they are forced into the ground.

As is well-known among golfers, an important factor in obtaining consistently good drives lies in teeing the ball at a uniform height for each drive. However, the precise tee height for driving golf balls most effectively may vary considerably from golfer to golfer, depending upon their stature, swing characteristics, etc. Furthermore, for each golfer the height at which a ball is supported by a tee should vary somewhat depending upon the loft of the particular club which is selected, although the tee height for the use of the same club under substantially the same conditions should be uniform.

Under present practice, the depth at which a tee is driven into the ground may depend upon factors which are entirely unrelated to the characteristics of a golfers swing or to the particular club which he selects. For instance, if the ground is hard and dry, the difficulty in driving a tee into the ground may cause a golfer to tee the ball higher than normally, while the opposite may be true if the ground is damp or soft. Obviously, such variations in the height at which a ball is teed may produce unwanted variations in the flight path of the ball even though the golfers swing is consistent and his selection of clubs is the same.

Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a device to be used by a golfer for driving a tee vertically into the ground so that a call may he sup" ported at a predetermined height and will not roll off of the tee. Another object is to provide a device which may be adjusted for setting a tee at various preselected depths so that a hall may be supported at any of a plurality of desired heights. A further object is to provide a convenient device which may be easily manipulated by a golfer for driving a tee a preselected distance into the ground, the device greatly facili ng the setting of tees at selected heights (or depths) iegardles-s of ground condition such as soil texture, moisture content, etc. A still further object is to provide a tee gripping and driving device adapted to level the ground surface in the immediate vicinity of the tee as it is be'ng set. Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tee holding and driving device embodying the present invention;

FEGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device in open condition;

FEGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FEGURF. l;

FlGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view taken along line of FIGURE 3; I

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view taken along line 5-5 of FEGURE 3;

FlGURE 6 is a h rizontal sectional View taken along line 6-6 of FEGURE 3;

FEGURE 7 is a perspective view of a tee holding and driving device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention, the device being shown in open condition;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 7, but shown in closed condition;

FZGURE 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FEGURF. 7

FlGURE 10 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line til-19 of FIGURE 9;

3,7d,7l9 Federated Jan. 22, 1953 ii". ti

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a device constituting a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the tee holding and driving device illustrated in FIGURE 11, the structure being shown with a tee supported therein; and

FIGURE 13, is an enlarged bottom plan view taken along line 13-13 of FIGURE 12.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-6, the numeral 10 generally designates a tee driving device comprising a tee holder 11 and means 12 associated with the holder for restraining relative upward movement of a tee supported thereby. The holder is generally cylindrical in shape and, as shown most clearly in FIGURES 1 and 2, consists essentially of a cylindrical top member 13 and a pair of generally semicylindrical jaws id and 15. The jaws are concentrically disposed with reference to the top member and have a combined diameter substantially the same as that member. While the several parts of the holder may be formed from metal or any other suitable material or materials, I prefer to form the jaws and the top member from a hard and tough plastic material such as methyl methacrylate. Other plastics such as polystyrene or cellulose acetate may also he used.

I aw 14 has its semi-circular top surface cemented or otherwise permanently secured to the under surface of top member 13. it will be understood, of course, that these parts may be integrally formed out of a single piece of material if such a construction is desired.

The complementary jaw 15 is pivotally carried upon a vertical pin or shaft 316 embedded in the top member 13. As shown most clearly in FIGURE 3, the disc shaped top member 13 is provided with a vertical opening 17 which snugly receives the upper end portion of the shaft. While various means might be provided for permanently anchoring these parts together, I have found that if the upper end of the shaft is provided with a circumferential recess 13, that recess may be filled with a suitable adhesive which will fuse the parts together when they are assembled. The adhesive material is designated by the numeral 19 and, in the case of a holder formed from methyl methacrylate, may consist of a mixture of ethyl dichloride and methyl methacrylate chips.

I aw 15 is provided with a vertical bore 2% adjacent a vertical edge portion thereof and this bore rotatably receives the lower portion of shaft 16 projecting downwardly beneath top member 13. Referring again to FIG- URE 3, it will be seen that the lower portion of the shaft is provided with a circumferential groove 21. A horizontal hinge pin 22 is cemented within an opening 23 in the jaw and projects into the circumferential groove of the shaft to lock the jaw against axial displacement on that shaft.

Each of the jaws has a semi-cylindrical recess 24 along its inner surface so that when the jaws are arranged in complementary fashion the two recesses define an axially extending cylindrical cavity or chamber within the holder. At the bottom of each jaw is a shoulder 25 which partially closes the lower end of each recess 2d and which bear against opposite sides of a tee as supported by the device when the jaws are closed, as indicated in FIG- URES 3 and 5. Ill: will be noted that even when the jaws are fully closed shoulders 25' of the respective jaws will be spaced apart and define a horizontally elongated opening 27. This horizontal elongation allows the shoulders to clamp a tee firmly regardless of the diameter of the tee portion disposed between the shoulders. in other words, the elongation of openings 27 compensates for the fact that the pivot point of jaw 15 is off center with reference to the opposing faces of the jaws, and thereby permits the secure gripping of a tee at various points along its tapered surface while at the same time maintaining the tee in a vertical position. I

The means 12 for preventing upward axial movement of a tee gripped by the holder comprises a threaded shaft 28 extending axially through a centrally disposed threaded opening 29 provided in top member 13. The shaft is equipped at its lower end with a bearing disc 3% located within the chamber of the holder, and at its upper end with an adjustment knob 31. A locking nut 32 is threadedly carried by shaft 28 within the holder chamber and is adapted to be screwed tightly against the under surface of the top member 13 to lock shaft 23 in any selected position.

The knob 31 and bearing disc 3%} may be formed from any suitable material and may be secured to shaft 28 in various ways. However, I prefer to form both the knob and bearing disc from a plastic material such as methyl methacrylate and, if such a material is used, I have found that the parts may be rigidly fixed together by first grinding notches in the ends of the threaded shaft and thereafter filing these notches with a cement which will harden and fuse with the plastic parts to prevent independent rotation of those parts upon the shaft. In FIGURES 3 and 6, the cement masses are designated by numerals 33 and 34.

Preferably, the periphery of knob 31 is knurled or grooved to facilitate rotation and adjustment of the plunger means. In addition, the flat inner surface of the stationary jaw 14 is provided with reference lines 35 and associated numerical indicia so that a user may readily determine the distance between the lower face of bearing disc 31} and the bottom surface of the holder, and hence the distance which a tee will project above the ground after it has been driven.

In the use of the device of the present invention, a golfer first selects the height at which he wishes to tee his golf ball and he then rotates a knob 31 until the lower surface of the bearing member 30 is in alignment with a reference numeral indicating that height. For eX- ample, if the desired height is one-half of an inch, then the knob is rotated until the parts are positioned as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Locking nut is then turned until it bears tightly against the under surface of top member 13 and thereby holds the threaded shaft in its selected position. The head of a tee is placed within the chamber against the under surface of member 30 and the pivotally mounted jaw is swung from the open position illustrated in FIGURE 2 into the closed position of FIGURES 1 and 5. When the hinged jaw is fully closed, the shank of the tee will be clamped between the shoulders 25 of the opposing jaws and a golfer gripping the holder in one hand may easily drive the exposed portion of the tee into the ground. It will be noted that the relatively large size of the holder greatly facilitates the driving of a tee into the ground because of the substantial surface area to which a downward force may be applied. At the same time, the gripping force applied by the golfer holds the pivotal jaw in closed position and prevents lateral tipping movement of the tee as it is driven vertically into the ground.

When the device with the tee supported thereby has been forced downwardly until the under surface of the holder engages the ground surface, the golfer slightly releases his grip and lifts the holder upwardly. The tapered surface of the tee automatically cams the hinged jaw outwardly, thereby releasing the tee from the holder.

'It is believed apparent from the foregoing that the structure of the present invention is adapted for use with tees of different length. The height of a tee after it has been set is controlled by the axial distance between the bottom of the plunger and the lower surface of the holder and, since this distance is not dependent upon the length of a tee gripped by the device, the precise setting of tees at selected heights is readily accomplished without regard to tee length.

Like the structure already described, the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 7 through 10 includes a holder 49 having a top member 4-1, a stationary jaw 42 and a swingable jaw 43 which is pivotally carried by a vertical pin or shaft 44. The shaft is cemented or otherwise secured to the top member 41 and is received within a vertical bore 45 provided by jaw 43. The locking pin 46 is cemented to the swingable jaw and projects into bore 45 and into an annular groove 47 of shaft 44, thereby preventing axial movement of the hinged jaw upon its mounting shaft.

A principal distinguishing feature of the second embodiment lies in the fact that the means for preventing upward axial movement of a tee 48 as it is being driven into the ground comprises a vertical series of spaced arcuate shoulders 49 within the semi-cylindrical recesses 50 of each jaw. The shoulders or ridges of each jaw are complementary so that when jaw 43 is closed each pair of shoulders will define a composite annular shoulder. As shown in FIGURE 9, the under surfaces of the shoulders are flat and horizontal, while the upper surfaces of those shoulders are inclined downwardly and inwardly. Reference lines 51 and associated numerical indicia are provided by the flat inner surface of stationary jaw 42 and indicate the distance between the lower surface of each shoulder and the under surface of the holder. Thus, by inserting the head of tee 48 into any of the compartments or spaces defined by the shoulders of the vertical series, the distance which the tee projects into the chamber of the holder, and hence the distance which the tee will project from the ground after it has been driven, may be selectively controlled, the composite shoulder in engagement with the head of the tee serving as a bearing member to limit upward movement of the tee relative to the holder.

A tee clamped between the closed jaws of the holder 40 may be driven into the ground in the same manner as described with reference to the structure illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 6. Again, it will be noted that the structure, as it is lifted from a driven tee, tends to open and automatically release that tee. Specifically, as the holder is lifted and as the pressure against the hinged jaw is simultaneously reduced, the tapered surfaces of the tee bear against shoulders 49 and tend to cam the jaws apart.

The third embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 11 through 13 comprises a cylindrical top member 69 equipped with a laterally projecting base 6'1, a pair of jaws 62 and 63, and means 64 for hearing against the upper end of a tee as it is being driven vertically into the ground to a predetermined depth.

Referring to FIGURE 12, it will be seen that the cylindrical top member as has a downwardly opening cylindrical cavity or chamber 65 therein. The tee restraining means 64 comprises a threaded shaft 66 which extends downwardly into the chamber through a smooth axial opening 6'7 and which is equipped at its lower end with a bearing member 68. At the upper end of the shaft is a knurled adjustment knob 69 for rotating the shaft and bearing member into a selected position indicated by reference lines 7t? and associated numerals on the outer surface of the transparent cylindrical member as. A pair of locking nuts 71 and 71a is threadedly carried by the shaft above the top member as and may be rotated downwardly to provide a stop for limiting downward axial movement of the bearing means.

Jaws 62 and as are semi-circular in shape and are both hingedly mounted upon the lateral flange portion of member on by rivets 72. As shown in FIGURE 13, the opposing faces of the jaws are notched at 73 and may be beveled (FIGURE 12) to engage and firmly grip the shank of a tee 74-. The flange 61 is provided with a depending pin 75 lying along a diametric line equally spaced from the pivot points of the two jaws to assist in vertically orienting a tee within the holder and to limit the extent of inward movement of either jaw while the device is being carried about by a user.

To insure proper orientation of a tee within the chamber 65 and to provide additional means for restraining lateral displacement of the tee as it is being driven into the ground, I provide bearing member 65; with a depending axially disposed projection 76 which extends into an axial recess '77 of the special tee 74 illustrated in FIGURE 12. However, it is to be noted that the jaws, when gripped by a user, hold a tee firmly enough to prevent lateral tipping as it is urged into the ground and that, if desired, the plunger structure of this embodiment may be provided with the same bearing member illustrated and described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 6.

In the operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 11-13, a golfer first adjusts the stop nuts 71 and 71a so that when the lowermost nut engages the upper surface of top member 60, the bearing member 68 will be disposed at a preselected position indicated by the reference lines and numerals 70. The upper portion of a tee is then placed within chamber 65 and the tee is urged upwardly until the upper surface of the bearing member engages the upper inside wall of the chamber. Jaws 62 and 63 are closed upon the narrow lower end of the tee, thereby accurately centering it vertically Within the holder and the exposed tip of the tee is urged into the ground. After the flat undersurfaces of the jaws engage the ground surface, the golfer finally presses knob 69 to drive the tee downwardly to the extent permitted by the locking adjustment nuts. Like the jaw construction of the first two forms of the present invention, the jaws of the third embodiment are automatically cammed open by the driven tee when the device is lifted.

While in the foregoing I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of the details of construction disclosed herein may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tee gripping and driving device, comprising a holder having a cylindrical chamber therein for receiving the upper portion of a golf tee, said holder having a pair of hingedly connected jaws separable along a diametrically and axially-extending plane with reference to said chamber, said hingedly connected jaws being movable about a hinge line parallel with the longitudinal axis of said chamber between open positions for insertion of the upper portion of a tee within said chamber and closed positions for clamping said upper tee portion therein, said holder being provided with a top wall closing oif the upper end of said chamber, and means provided by said holder for limiting upward movement of a tee beyond a selected position within said chamber, said means comprising a series of longitudinally-spaced, circumferential shoulders provided by said holder within said cylindrical chamber, said shoulders constituting a plurality of stops for restraining upward movement of a conventional tee in any of a plurality of selected axial positions.

2. A gripping and driving device for conventional golf tees comprising a holder provided with a vertically elongated chamber for receiving the head portion of a conventional golf tee, said holder being divided along a vertical plane extending along the vertical axis of said chamber and providing a pair of tee-clamping jaws swingable laterally about a hinge line parallel with said axis of 6 said chamber for opening and closing the same and for clamping the head portion of a tee therein, a top wall being provided by at least one of said jaws and closing off the upper end of said chamber, and bearing means provided by said holder within said chamber for engaging the head of a tee and for limiting upward movement of a tee within said chamber when said jaws are closed, said bearing means comprising a series of vertically-spaced horizontal shoulders provided by said jaws within said chamber, said shoulders constituting a plurality of stops engageable with the head of a conventional golf tee for restraining upward movement of said tee in any of a plurality of selected vertical portions.

3. A tee gripping and driving device, comprising a holder having a top member and a pair of jaws mounted in side-by-side relation upon the under-surface thereof, at least one of said jaws being hingedly mounted upon said top member for swinging movement into and out of surface engagement with the other of said jaws, said jaws each having complementary semi-cylindrical and axiallyextending recesses defining an elongated vertical cylindrical chamber when said jaws are together for receiving therein the upper portion of a golf tee disposed in any selected position of a plurality of vertically oriented positions along the length of said chamber, said hinged jaw being swingable about a hinge line parallel with the longitudinal axis of said chamber, and at least one bearing member provided by said holder Within said chamber and engageable with the upper portion of a tee positioned therein for limiting upward relative movement of a tee beyond any selected position of said plurality of positions with respect to said chamber.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which a plurality of bearing members are provided within said chamber for limiting upward tee movement beyond selected positions with respect to said holder, said bearing members comprising a series of longitudinally-spaced circumferentiallyextending shoulders of substantially uniform diameter provided by said holder within said chamber, said shoulders each being engageable with the head of a conventional tee received within said chamber for restraining upward movement of said tee in any of said plurality of positions with respect to said chamber.

5. The structure of claim 3 in which a threaded shaft is axially disposed with reference to said chamber and projects into said chamber through a threaded opening provided in said top member, said bearing member being provided at the lower end of said shaft within said chamher and being adapted to bear against the head of a tee disposed within the chamber, said shaft also being provided with a knob externally of said holder, said shaft being rotatable to adjust the axial position of said bearing member within said chamber for selectively controlling the extent to which the upper portion of a tee is receivable therein.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which locking means are provided for locking said threaded shaft against rotation with reference to said top member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 827,392 Prangemeier July 31, 1906 1,634,652 Czichos July 5, 1927 1,863,140 Malvaney June 14, 1932 2,606,764 Mason Aug. 12, 1952 2,716,750 Biblis Sept. 6, 1955 2,901,146 Powell et a1, Aug. 12, 1959 

3. A TEE GRIPPING AND DRIVING DEVICE, COMPRISING A HOLDER HAVING A TOP MEMBER AND A PAIR OF JAWS MOUNTED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION UPON THE UNDER-SURFACE THEREOF, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID JAWS BEING HINGEDLY MOUNTED UPON SAID TOP MEMBER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SURFACE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS, SAID JAWS EACH HAVING COMPLEMENTARY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL AND AXIALLYEXTENDING RECESSES DEFINING AN ELONGATED VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER WHEN SAID JAWS ARE TOGETHER FOR RECEIVING THEREIN THE UPPER PORTION OF A GOLF TEE DISPOSED IN ANY SELECTED POSITION OF A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY ORIENTED POSITIONS ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID HINGED JAW BEING SWINGABLE ABOUT A HINGE LINE PARALLEL WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER, AND AT LEAST ONE BEARING MEMBER PROVIDED BY SAID HOLDER WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF A TEE POSITIONED THEREIN FOR LIMITING UPWARD RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF A TEE BEYOND ANY SELECTED POSITION OF SAID PLURALITY OF POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID CHAMBER. 